CG electrical fault

[samj6]

Another problem with the CG!
This time it's some kind of electrical fault that makes everything flash?

With it sitting in neutral with no lights or indicators on it only shows the neutral light(like it should). Then if i turn the indicators on the neutral lights starts flashing as well as the indicator light, the indicators flash but really weakly and even the headlamp sometimes flashes?

Got my bike mate round and he first said it might be an earth wire disconnected so checked around headlamp wiring and the wiring at the back and found 3 broken wires (orange,grey and can't remember the other one) soldered them back together but nothing changed! tightened all the connections to the wires in the headlamp but it's still doing it.

And another thing ive noticed while riding is that if i turn the handlebars to the right at all the full beam light switches on but not the full beam? im guessing this was one of the broken wires but haven't tried it since? any help would be appreciated sorry about the long post lol. Cheers, Sam

[toolhonda]

Get the wires and connections sorted.

If you still have the fault replace the battery with a new one.
Make sure the shop or you fully charge the new battery.

If the battery is not recharged by the bike then your alternator / rectifier needs replacing.

[virus]

You have wiring problems.

First off, check all connections and clean them up, put them back together and smear with a bit of vaseline etc to prevent corosion.

Make sure all the earths are in place (green wires on hondas, apart from the neutral light which is a light green).

Sounds like your main loom is in bad shape near the headstock, as it seems to short when you turn the bars.

Check it all over with a multimeter and a copy of the wiring diagram, you may need a new loom if yours is too worn out and shorting.


Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[Cigaro]

[boredatwork]

cant add anything except to agree with all the above. had a similar problem on mine which was only rectified by re-doing everything electrical

fortunately on the cg that isnt very difficult!
____________________
DAS/Test: Passed March 08!
Bikes: CG 125 and k4 750 gsx-r

[virus]

yeah, as said, you are damn lucky its a CG, these things only need about 3 wires to run for a basic loom.

Try rewiring a complete GSX400F, thats when it gets irritating.


Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[samj6]

lol hope it's not going to set on fire! yeh cleaned all the connections and vaselined them, checked for loose connections and all that. The casing for the wires running down the left side is too long so it folds over when i turn sharply but ive sorted that as well now. I had a look at the battery yesterday and charged it overnight on trickle charge. This morning looked inside and the liquid was all murky which i'm guessing shouldn't be like that.

Also i told my mate that when i bought the battery they said "We'll just fill it up for you" they then took it out the back and filled it with something p it back in the box and sold it to me. He said he had never heard of anyone selling a battery that needs to be filled usually come prefiled in their box? so im guessing the battery is fooked then?

No chance of me rewiring the whole bike! lol scares me looking at the amount of wiring in the headlight unit! Cheers for the help, Sam

[samj6]

oh yeh forgot to ask where the earths are? Found one under the seat connected to the frame and a few earth wires (headlight, side and at the back) any more earth points like the one under the seat?

[Cigaro]

[toolhonda]

If you are stuck try the horn.
If the sound pitch is high you have good voltage.
If its low you have low voltage (discharged battery).

Next thing is to get a standard multi meter available at most DIY shops (or borrow one from a friend). Use it to measure voltage and resistance.
You can get one from £5 to £15 depending on which shop you visit.

The meter will tell you the voltage at any point in the electrical system and in resistance mode tell you if any wires are shorting out with each other or the frame of the bike.

If the voltage drops from one end of a wire to the other, replace the wire.

[toolhonda]

A battery when new is not fully charged.
It should be charged up before use.

If my battery is not fully charged when I put the indicators on the neutral light flashes (when I am in neutral).

[samj6]

[toolhonda]

[lozzypop1]

[toolhonda]

Were did you get that information from?

The Yuasa Technical Manual says it must be charged

A direct link to the Manual on the manufacturers website is below

https://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/TechMan.pdf

[lozzypop1]

Funny - This was on the manufacturers website too

https://www.yuasa-battery.co.uk/automotive/technical.asp#allyouneedtoknow

(You will need to scroll down a little to section C- Commissioning, sub-entitled 'Dry Charged Batteries'

It clearly states that after the recommended standing period, If the chemical reaction doesn't achieve the correct voltage in the battery - then it needs charging. However, if it has reached 12.50V it doesn't require a top up charge.

The PDF you have linked to, states that a battery has to be fully charged before installation NOT that YOU have to CHARGE it before installation - There's a difference.
____________________
Funny, I used to hate being spanked as a child!
Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.

[cal91]

lol that made me laugh!

14.8 volts is what it takes to charge a 12v battery. All battery charges put out 14.8volts (well if there on a quick charge action not trickle charge). That will not blow fuses or nack up the battery.

That guy at the garage is having your life mate, he should know that!
____________________
We are the Patriots! Love your country.

[toolhonda]

There is a simple answer to charging the battery.
Use an automatic charger.
This will stop the battery from being over charged.

Also when you put the battery in the bike and the engine is running the bikes battery charger will be charging the battery.

Every battery I have ever bought always says in the instructions you must charge the battery before use.
Some warn if you do not the life of the battery will be reduced.

Every battery I have charged with an automatic battery charger when new has required charging.

[samj6]

yeh i did think he was having me on because the haynes said the bike should put out around 17 volts but that sounds like a lot too much? When i bought the battery i did charge it up when i got home on 12 volts trickle charge for the recommended 12-13 hours then strapped it into the bike.

[sickpup]

[toolhonda]

No normal customer puts the acid in to the battery.
It is always done by the shop, not the customer.

If the battery is cheap type (not sealed) the shop has a big container of acid that fills many battery’s.

All the good shops insist on letting it stand and charging it before the customer can have the battery.

The bad shops do not charge the battery but still let it stand.

So standing is sorted.

There is no harm in using an automatic charger on a new battery.
If the battery needs to be charged it will charge it. If it does not it will not.

How many normal customers have a voltage meter?
Non so they can not measure the voltage.
How many shops bother to measure voltage?
I bet most will simply put an automatic charger on it.

The link I found does read differently to the other link posted.
So I will admit you should check if the battery needs to be charged.
But checking can be done automatically by the automatic charger or manualy by a voltage meter.

[sickpup]

[toolhonda]

The battery market has obviously changed a lot since I last had to buy a battery.
It was around 5 years ago.

Before that I had to have a new battery every 2 to 3 years for over a decade.
Never was I able to buy a non sealed battery and put the acid in myself.
Every shop I went to insisted that they put the acid in since the acid was stored in a massive container to fill many batterys.
They also gave me no option but to wait at least 30 mins for the acid to settle.

One shop never charged or checked if the battery needed charging.
Another shop insisted I would have to come back 1.5 hours later to alow them to charge it.

I bet you will find the average motorcylist does not have a battery charger.
The same applies to car drivers.
Yes lots of us do but most do not.
The only reason I got one was because my alarm kept draining the battery.

[veeeffarr]

I'd say I'm an 'average motorcyclist' and I own an Optimate Battery Charger and have personally filled and prepped two batteries that I have had posted to me with the included acid packs.

[lozzypop1]